Page 860 – Soapbox

Green Learning Station teaches sustainability in Avondale

By Newsroom

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November 30, 2010

Cincinnati residents looking to enhance the greenness of their green thumbs will soon have a new - and well-funded - resource. The Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati, an Avondale-based non-profit organization that provides horticultural education to individuals, students and community groups, is receiving substantial support for The Green Learning Station, its environmentally oriented education program. While the Civic Garden Center has offered gardening courses for to the community and supported more than 47 active gardens in the city, the Green Learning Station takes its educational programming in a new direction. The station's courses, seminars and very construction will provide both training and research opportunities for those interested in sustainability through horticulture.The Ohio EPA likes the idea; it recently awarded the Civic Garden Center a $50,000 general grant to fund field trips - including supplies and bus fees - for 60 middle school and high school classes."It has been our hope to be able to provide this hands-on, real world field trip and curriculum free of charge, and to provide funds for students to actually make a change at their schools," says Ryan Mooney-Bullock, program manager for the Green Learning Station.She explained that while the station's courses on gardening, green roofs and rainwater harvesting have significant value for gardeners, the hope is that they could sprout a grassroots solution to one of Greater Cincinnati's larger environmental problems: uncontrolled rainwater runoff that overflows sewers and dumps pollution into the region's waterways."We have all this water running off. If we can plant more gardens and bioswales, we're not only creating beautiful spaces, we're solving the rainwater problem," she says.This falls hand-in-hand with the goals of the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati's Project Groundwork, a multi-year series of projects aimed at modernizing the area's runoff management system. In fact, the MSD is funding a series of sustainable control projects at Green Learning Station. The efficacy of the projects will be measured, with the data made available to students and researchers investigating these green solutions to runoff problems.Environmental quality organizations are not the only funders of this major educational initiative. The Greater Cincinnati Foundation is providing $50,000 to fund digital signage at the station, making its educational displays and information more accessible to the community."We funded the Green Learning Station not only because it is an innovative and collaborative project but it also gets the broader community involved in addressing the issue of storm water runoff," says LaToya Moore, associate program officer at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.The Green Learning Station's facility is under construction at the Civic Garden Center's facility on Reading Road, with funding support from PNC Bank, Social Venture Partners and a growing list of local and regional foundations. If the support continues, Civic Garden Center officials say they hope to open the Green Learning Station, and begin spreading the knowledge that could support grassroots sustainability in Cincinnati, in April 2011.Writer: Matt CunninghamPhotography by Scott Beseler.

OTR gets first pop-up shop in time for the holidays

By Newsroom

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Arts + Culture

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November 30, 2010

Cincinnati retail will receive an innovative twist this holiday season with the opening of the region's first pop-up shop in Over-the-Rhine on November 26. As a short term, high profile retail venue, pop-up shops offer customers a new way to experience local businesses and products, and offer an ideal way to find unique goods. This year, holiday shoppers downtown will be able to visit the temporary location and buy products from a variety of locally owned businesses. Pop-up shops have gained in popularity in large cities such as New York and Los Angeles, and are benefitting from holiday foot traffic in walkable neighborhoods across the country. They have proven to be perfect destinations for smaller vendors who might otherwise find the cost of a traditional storefront prohibitive, and also encourage a more interactive shopping experience. Over-the-Rhine has proven to be the perfect spot for independent business opportunities, and the pop-up shop will add another dimension for the discerning holiday shopper. Local patrons of the already bustling retail community in Over-the Rhine as well as first-time shoppers will be pleased to see products ranging from the hand-crafted truffles of Chocolats Latour to rock posters designed by Newport's Powerhouse Factories. Locally produced clocks, coasters, and magnets will be available from Studio Vertu, and the design duo behind Artfully Disheveled will offer a selection of accessories for the well-dressed man. Colin Groth, co-owner of Cincinnati-themed apparel company Nati Evolvement, sees their involvement in the pop-up shop as a way to bring energy and excitement to the downtown area during the holiday season. "The pop up shop is a fantastic addition this year and a great chance to showcase small and locally owned businesses who may not have a retail presence of their own," Groth said. "This is a great chance for Nati Evolvement to have a single retail location that showcases all of our products. Our company is all about the Cincinnati community so we also hope to use our portion of the space to highlight some of the other great initiatives and start-ups that our group is involved in, and to get people engaged even after they get home."The pop-up shop will run for nine days over four weekends through December 19th, and will be located at 1213 Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine. More details, as well as hours for the shop, can be found at www.otrgateway.com/popupshop.Writer: Kelly CarpePhotography by Scott Beseler.

Tom Lunney, Buy Local Cincy

By Sean Rhiney

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Entrepreneurship

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November 30, 2010

Tom Lunney was inspired by his work with local business owners and wanted to create a better way for them to connect and prosper. Enter Buy Local Cincy.

All Aboard in Cincinnati?

By Jonathan DeHart

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Environment + Sustainability

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November 30, 2010

The 3C passenger rail plan would link Ohio's major cities and provide connections to regional hubs in Chicago and on the East Coast, but Ohio's next governor doesn't want it. How about you Cincinnati?

The Essence of Zoom

By Feoshia Henderson

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Entrepreneurship

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November 30, 2010

Meet the creative minds behind Hebron-based ZoomEssence, a nimble research and development firm, working to make over the powder flavor industry.

Partnership between The Circuit, Op4G mixes market research, nonprofit giving

By Newsroom

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General

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November 30, 2010

The Circuit, Greater Cincinnati's IT Association, has a new partner in online market research that allows the region's consumers to give product opinions, earn dollars and give back to their favorite nonprofit.The Circuit recently partnered with Op4G (Opinions for Good) a national, online market research company that gives members cash for their feedback. Op4G also helps fund nonprofits by requiring members to contribute at least 25 percent of those earnings to their favorite nonprofit.Op4G is working with The Circuit's membership to get Cincinnati area opinions, but the site is open to anyone interested in the market research program. This is the first time The Circuit has worked with a market research company. As a nonprofit itself, The Circuit also benefits from the partnership, said President Jim Cunningham."We're promoting it to our members, and we can make money off it. Op4G will pay the individual who takes the survey, then part of it goes to a nonprofit like us. We're also interested because it's an IT-based business," Cunningham said. Op4G's panel is comprised of non-profit supporters and organization from across the country, including alumni groups, civic organizations, charities, and others. Organizations needing consumer insight to improve their marketing decisions turn to Op4G to conduct research among Op4G's members who have agreed to donate a minimum of 25 percent of their compensation to their choice of non-profits."We are always looking for ways in which our organization and members can make positive contributions to our communities, and Op4G provides a simple and effective program that can serve as a catalyst for fund-raising efforts for The Circuit and a variety of local non-profit organizations," said Cunningham.The Circuit is the information technology association for the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region and is dedicated to raising awareness for the region’s growing IT community by providing support and services for local technology professionals, companies and institutions. The association’s growing membership consists of a variety of professionals and organizations representing all areas of information technology.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSources: Jim Cunningham, The Circuit and KWPR You can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiawrites

Cincy American Institute of Architects chapter launches leadership dev program

By Newsroom

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Architecture + Design

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November 30, 2010

The Cincinnati Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (or AIA) has launched a new program aimed at shaping the next generation of leaders in the profession.AIA's VISION: Architect's Leadership Forum launched in mid-November with its first class of area architects from a variety of backgrounds. The 10-person class includes young professionals from large and small firms, as well as sole practitioners.AIA has spent the last year and half developing program curriculum and raising funds for the program. The inaugural class is a mix of architects identified as potential leaders by their employers and an open call to the region's professionals.The program is designed to teach leadership skills to professionals in their 30s and 40s who soon will be tapped as leaders as current leaders begin to retire. About 40 percent of today's industry professionals are 50 or older, said VISION co-chair Miranda Mote."We recognized there was a gap in support for young architects who will have to move up in firms more quickly as CEO and in firm management than those before them," Mote said.To qualify for the program, architects had to be licensed and able to demonstrate experience in the field.There are only a few programs like this in the country. Some of the most recognized are in Kansas City, Boston and Atlanta, Mote said.The 10-month program includes four keynote lectures by nationally recognized speakers, seminars, workshops, professional networking opportunities, panel discussions and a group service project. Throughout, participants will be asked to consider challenge's that Cincinnati faces including legacy, design, project delivery, politics, management practices, community, education and economics. The class takes place once a month.Keynotes will be publicized and open to the public, Mote said. Each day following the keynote presentation, VISION participants will work one on one with the speaker and offer short presentations on the topic each speaker covers. They will also address these topics in a blog that will be available at aiacincinnativision.com. AIA is working with nationally recognized Architect Magazine to offer blog content to a wider audience of professionals in either an online or print format, Mote said.The presentations are key to building leadership skills, she added."Communication is one of the key skills lacking in the architect community, and this is where the presentation comes in developing those skills," Mote said.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: VISION co-chair Miranda MoteYou can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiawrites

Fledgling Cincy deal sites combine, form revamped YoDeal

By Newsroom

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Entrepreneurship

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November 30, 2010

Three Greater Cincinnati websites devoted to partnering with local business to offer group discount deals have merged to form a revamped version of YoDeal.YoDeal relaunched on Nov. 15 with a coupon for $10 dollars worth of bagels for $5 at Marx Hot Bagels in Blue Ash. The site sold 702 coupons, said YoDeal founder Keith Kollstedt.YoDeal went dark in early August. It was one of several new sites that have popped up in Cincinnati in the last year offering discounts for products and services at local business, generally at 50 percent off or more. The sites all relied on group buying, and the deals were available only after a certain number of people purchased them.The assets of the new site have been purchased by Blue Ash-based Reach USA, a multimedia direct marketing company that produces the Valpack, Reach magazine and other marketing and coupon products. Reach also rolled in the assets of deal site WouldURather, which is no longer online.Reach briefly ran its own group purchasing site, ereach Big Deal of the Day, which has been temporarily suspended, said Kollstred who now works with a 10-person digital sales team in Blue Ash. This new arrangement makes the locally founded YoDeal more sustainable, Kollstedt said."Reach offers a solid foundation and is a well-known name in the city and the country. This also gives us access to Reach's full media suite," he said.While YoDeal's ownership has changed, so has the site itself. "We have actually changed the look and feel of this site to make it more crisp. We're trying to define it as a more premium site, and our deals (will reflect that). We'll be offering deals for the area's premium spas, restaurants and activities," Kollstedt said.The site has kept its commitment to nonprofits as well. Up to 10 percent of purchases each week goes to a local nonprofit organization."I think we are in the position where we need to be. We're with a well-established company and we are a little different from sites like Groupon and Living Social because of our relationship with charities. That opens up a lot of different avenues for us as far as the businesses we work with and the individuals who buy from us," Kollstedt said.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: YoDeal founder Keith KollstedtYou can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiawrites

NKY YPs to “adopt” six area non-profits, deadline approaching

By Newsroom

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General

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November 30, 2010

Legacy, the Northern Kentucky Chamber's YP group, is "adopting" six area nonprofits linking legacy's 300 members with organizations looking for volunteers. This is the second year in a row that Legacy has adopted local nonprofits. Though an application process, Legacy will choose six Northern Kentucky area non-profits to attend one monthly networking event as well as a couple of other large, annual Legacy events. During that time, representatives can tell Legacy members about their nonprofit and invite them to volunteer for events or even board openings. Nonprofits also will have access to Legacy members through the organization's web site and e-communications.The group atmosphere of these events makes Legacy members more inclined to get involved, making it a win-win for the YPs and for nonprofits, said John Muench, co-chair of Legacy's community committee."What we find is that people want to volunteer and want to give back, but it's kind of intimidating to just walk in somewhere by yourself and say "'I want to volunteer,'" Muench said. Legacy is looking for a wide range of nonprofits focused on varied projects and work. The effort is geared toward Northern Kentucky opportunities, but Legacy will consider Cincinnati nonprofits if the fit is right, Muench said.If you have a nonprofit and would like to connect with Legacy members you can find an application online. Applications must be submitted by Dec. 10 and chosen organizations will be notified by Dec. 22.Eligible nonprofits must be a charitable 501 (c) 3, have an employee who is a current LEGACY member or will join upon "adoption," and be willing to participate in the Legacy Networking Happy Hours, the Holiday Party and Annual Meeting.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: John Muench, co-chair of Legacy community committeeYou can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiawrites

Ohio school goes from dead end to high-tech star

By Newsroom

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Cincy In The News

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November 16, 2010

Cincinnati's Taft High School, once known as one of Ohio's worst, has reached a high-tech level. Graduation rates increased from 21 percent to 95 percent and Taft earned an "excellent" rating along with the National Blue Ribbon Award. The turnaround is a result of good leadership internally and from corporate citizens like Cincinnati Bell, innovative planning, and a desire to make a difference. Read the full story here.